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Answers to WTFWTK 2.80!

Mattel has once again provided answers to your questions.
Thanks again to them for taking the time to answer these!
Check out their answers to your Round 80 questions!

This round of questions were selected by TheShadow.
Thanks to those fans for their help!

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1. Zargon: Are the various army builders (Eternian Palace Guards, Snake Men, etc.) going to join the "available year-round" group (He-Man, Skeletor, etc.)? I think that this would be an affordable way for collectors to build armies going forward.

It is possible but no plans to announce right now.

2. Ealo: What is the current status on combining day of sale purchases with subscription items to save on postage?

This is something we are still actively working on but we don't have an exact date yet to launch this feature.

3. MOTU_Maniac: We have read where "The 2013 [sub] line will be a little different from 2012 in terms of slots." Since subs sales are what drive the MOTUC line forward, can you give us a little more information? Are these changes due simply to the 30th Anniversary sub ending or due to something else entirely?

In part due to the 30th line going away (as that was unique for 2012) but it is also due to the price increase in 2013. We did not want to overload fans with too many skus and a lot of the feedback on 2012 was their were too many figures so we took this into consideration.

4. stevediamonds: In late 2010 on a Q&A it was said the goal with product on mattycollector.com going into 2011 was to have the next three months of MOTUC figures pictures and listings up on the site. I understand there are delays being worked through right now, but I was curious if there was still a chance of that being implemented.

Yes, we are still working on this.

5. sailoruranus & musclor: When will we learn what the fans get to vote on at the SDCC panel this year? And is there a chance of a fan vote at Power-Con this year?

It is still up in the air whether there will be a vote at SDCC this year since we are doing the "fan vote slot" that now every 2013 sub holder will get to participate in. We may do an additional vote at the panel. Still getting our ducks in a row.

In part due to the 30th line going away (as that was unique for 2012) but it is also due to the price increase in 2013. We did not want to overload fans with too many skus and a lot of the feedback on 2012 was their were too many figures so we took this into consideration.

This is terrible news! Who are the people arguing for fewer figures in the 2012 sub? I know there are concerns with the beast figures because some don't want to commit to these higher priced items but really, with so many figures left to be made from the vintage lines, Filmation toon, MYP I find the prospect of reducing the number of figures (12 monthly, 4 A-list variants plus 30th anniv sub) frightening in case the line doesn't manage to go on for another 5 years.

I do think Mattel should back themselves on this MOTUC line and keep the figures rolling out - the fans will stick. The fact we are still here after Digital River, WSOD, instant sellouts, reversed shoulders etc should be ample proof of that!

This is terrible news! Who are the people arguing for fewer figures in the 2012 sub? I know there are concerns with the beast figures because some don't want to commit to these higher priced items but really, with so many figures left to be made from the vintage lines, Filmation toon, MYP I find the prospect of reducing the number of figures (12 monthly, 4 A-list variants plus 30th anniv sub) frightening in case the line doesn't manage to go on for another 5 years.

I do think Mattel should back themselves on this MOTUC line and keep the figures rolling out - the fans will stick. The fact we are still here after Digital River, WSOD, instant sellouts, reversed shoulders etc should be ample proof of that!

I am one of the people calling for fewer skus. The 2012 subs came in at $800 to $900 (I can't remember the exact number or if that number includes non sub stuff like Granymyr. I am of the opinion that $500 to $600 for the year is much more manageable.

Sad it will be if the 3-day Wind Raider sale and global economy means beasts are all but phased out of MOTUC. Doom to the hopes of those of us who want one day to see MOTUC Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain playsets.

It could also be misdirection. Remember just prior to SDCC when Scott said they still didn't have Filmation rights? He probably wants to stifle the Filmation Sub discussion for the time being.

Unless the price increase is going to price fans out of the equation I don't see why they would take a step back in offering as much product as they can.

There has been no discussion about a Filmation Sub, though. That has been fan speculation. Mattel has actually stated (and then reiterated) that Filmation is being integrated into the main MOTUC release schedule. So, I doubt that's what it is. Oh well. I guess We'll find out at SDCC.

As you mentioned, it could be the pricing that will ultimately cause items to be cut back. Ugh. How depressing.

I'm also happy for a few less SKU's as this line is just costing too much, even more so with the prices going up. For 2013 I'd like to see 12 monthly figures, 2 variants, 2 beasts, 1 exclusive and 1 Battle Ram

3. MOTU_Maniac: We have read where "The 2013 [sub] line will be a little different from 2012 in terms of slots." Since subs sales are what drive the MOTUC line forward, can you give us a little more information? Are these changes due simply to the 30th Anniversary sub ending or due to something else entirely?

In part due to the 30th line going away (as that was unique for 2012) but it is also due to the price increase in 2013. We did not want to overload fans with too many skus and a lot of the feedback on 2012 was their were too many figures so we took this into consideration.

Glad to see Mattel gave me an in-depth answer to my question (other than "we will have to wait and see" or "nothing to announce yet"), BUT I hope the # of figures doesn't drop too much.

Man, I really hope they didn't reduce the amount of actual figures we're getting (i.e. getting rid of some or all of the variants, for example). What I wanted was more of the regular figures in the Beast/Oversized slots, but planned out so that it would come out to less than what folks were paying this year.

I still want 12 figures a year, each in a monthly slot. But I won't cry if the quarterly slots for both beasts and variants dwindled down to maybe just 3 of each per year. I was disappointed in Snake Man-At-Arms and Battleground Evil-Lyn- so had they never been released I wouldn't have even cared and I'd still have that money in my pocket for the stuff I DO actually want released. I want more of the classic toy variants (keep things like Thunder Punch He-Man and Battle Armor Skeletor coming!). As for beasts, I find myself thrilled with multi-packs (Palace Guards, Star Sisters) and less enthused about stuff like Tytus or the Griffin. So for me personally one less beast slot is okay, so long as it's actually a beast that gets clipped from the sub and not a two or three-pack of 6" figures. I've also been of the mind for a while now that they need to go smaller with their beast selection- we have yet to see a pack of characters like Kowl, Loo-Kee, Imp, Twiggets- not every beast has to stand 12" high on my shelf or have a 15" wing span.

And I think they should cut back moving forward. Way too many figures and beasts coming out. Next month alone will be very expensive, plus I personally don't want most of the June line-up.

Agreed,the June line up is a bit of a let down for me as well,i will purchase Snake Man At Arms for the sake of the mini comic,as for the slots i don't think the 30th sub sold as well as Mattel would have wanted,although they wouldn't admit it.The plus has to be that cutting the slots is probably the best way to protect the line for the long haul.

The lessening of the skus is a good and logical choice for the longevity of the line. Fans spoke with their wallets when 2012 showed a drop in sub sales. The simple fact of the matter is that 2012 was the most ambitious year ever for this line, and collectors showed that they weren't willing to commit that $$ amount. It didn't mean the sky was falling, or that the line was doing poorly, it just meant that it got to be too expensive for your average collector. Yes, there are wealthier collectors with more disposable income, and online re-sellers that have the budget to collect multiple subs. But there are far more collectors who are impacted by $80-$100 months - that's a utility bill that needs to get paid.

Fans screamed that they wanted a Castle Grayskull and more vehicles, but wanting something, and affording it are two different things. The collector base showed that it would not be able to afford the play set, and that vehicles were not worthy investments. With production costs going up, something's GOT to be done to ensure that collectors come back and commit to the subs. Thus the need to drop the quantity (and perhaps variety) of skus. So even though the price point per toy will increase another $2-$5, the 2013 sub will STILL cost less than 2012, and probably be around the more acceptable 2011 price, because Matty KNOWS that collectors are/were OK with that amount. If Matty didn't go this route, that would mean even less subs would be sold for 2013, and the future of the line would be seriously threatened.

I don't understand. Fans may have complained, but it didn't hurt sales to any sort of "Danger, Will Robinson" level. I understand not adding an additional sub-line, I guess (but since they said the MOTUC 30th far outsold CIE, I still think it's a mistake). But they better not cut out any beasts or variants.